What Global Fan Exchange does

Global Fan Exchange, per firmographic metadata, is described as a fan engagement platform for celebrities and athletes founded in 2020 and based in New York. However, the substantive source material provided (firmographic detail blocks, legal entity records, and the platform website at upstream.exchange) describes a materially different operating business: a blockchain-powered global stock trading platform operated by the legal entity Horizon Globex GmbH (Germany) and doing business as "Upstream." This platform functions as a market within MERJ Exchange, a licensed Securities Exchange operator regulated by the Financial Services Authority of Seychelles (Licenses SE001, CA001, SF001), and is powered by Horizon (Horizonfintex) technology.

The platform's core product is the Upstream Stock Trading App, a mobile-first application (iOS and Android) plus a web-based trading interface (trader.upstream.exchange) that enables global self-directed investors — explicitly excluding U.S. persons — to trade securities, options, and warrants from U.S. and international companies. Trade execution and settlement are enforced through smart contracts that prohibit naked short selling and payment for order flow; settlement is real-time across multiple funding rails (credit/debit, PayPal, USDC stablecoin, fiat), with biometric transaction signing and a transparent public level 2 orderbook. The platform operates 20 hours per day, 5 days per week.

Revenue is generated from two primary streams: transaction fees on retail trading activity and issuer listing fees (often packaged with strategic media services for issuers seeking global capital reach). Customer segments are split between long-tail global self-directed investors (product-led growth via app store distribution) and issuers — typically early- or development-stage companies — pursuing dual listings via a sponsored listing program. Distribution is mobile-first and self-serve for investors, with direct enterprise sales motion for issuers, supported by content marketing, press release distribution via Access Newswire, and a Linktree social hub.

Name

Global Fan Exchange

Legal name

Horizon Globex GmbH

Website

https://globalfanexchange.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Global Fan Exchange is filed as a 2020-vintage firm, though available evidence describes Upstream, a blockchain-powered global stock trading app operated by Horizon Globex GmbH as a market within MERJ Exchange, serving non-U.S. self-directed investors and issuers of digital securities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Securities Trading Platform

NAICS

Securities and Commodity Exchanges (523210), Securities and Commodity Exchanges (5232), Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage (5231)

SIC

Security & Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges & Services (6200), Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211)

akta.pro primary industry

MEV & Transaction Supply Chain Tooling (bundlers, private mempools, builders) (FSAPABAL)

Keywords

• Blockchain stock trading
• Digital securities exchange
• Mobile trading app
• Smart contract trading
• Regulated securities exchange

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Securities Trading Transaction Fees: Revenue from transaction fees on buy and sell orders of securities executed on the platform. Self-directed investors pay fees per trade.
2. Issuer Listing Fees: Companies pay to list on the exchange, gaining access to global technology-driven investor base. Includes strategic media packages for issuers.
3. Options and Warrants Trading: Revenue from options and warrants trading activities on the platform, subject to exchange rules and investor terms.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Upstream is a blockchain-powered global stock trading application that operates as a market of MERJ Exchange, enabling self-directed investors outside the United States to trade securities, options, and warrants. The platform provides smart-contract-enforced trading rules, real-time settlements, a transparent public orderbook, and multiple funding options. Companies can also list securities on the exchange to reach a global, technology-driven investor base under recognized standards of disclosure, transparency, and governance.

Product overview

Upstream is a single, unified blockchain-powered stock trading platform that is part of MERJ Exchange. The platform provides a mobile trading application for buying and selling securities, options, and warrants, combining traditional stock exchange functionality with blockchain technology for transparent, real-time trading and settlements without market manipulations like naked short selling or payment for order flow.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Upstream Stock Trading App

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MERJ ExchangecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMERJ Exchange is the parent market for Upstream. It is a licensed Securities Exchange, an affiliate of the World Federation of Exchanges, a National Numbering Agency, and full member of ANNA. Upstream operates as a MERJ Exchange market.
• Horizon (Horizonfintex)coreTechnology or IntegrationHorizon (horizonfintex.com) powers the Upstream trading platform. Provides the underlying exchange and trading app infrastructure for digital securities.
• Equity Stock TransfercoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership to release next-generation transfer agent API facilitating automated share transfers between exchanges. Streamlines share registry and transfer operations.
• ADVFNminorGTM or Marketing PartnerADVFN added to Upstream's Media Community to boost advertising for issuers on the global trading app. Provides financial media and advertising visibility.
• Mission MattersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMission Matters joined Upstream's Strategic Media Package for issuers dual listing on Upstream. Represents issuer using strategic media services.
• World Federation of ExchangescoreOthersMERJ Exchange (parent of Upstream) is an affiliate of the World Federation of Exchanges, providing credibility through global exchange standards and best practices.
• ANNA (Association of National Numbering Agencies)coreOthersMERJ Exchange (parent of Upstream) is a full member of ANNA, the global standards body for financial identifiers including ISINs and LEIs.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Coinbase: Large regulated crypto exchange expanding into tokenized securities and RWAs; competes for the same global self-directed investor base that Upstream targets.
• eToro: Multi-asset social trading platform offering stocks and crypto globally (excluding U.S. in many cases) — comparable in offering cross-border investors mobile access to equities and digital assets.
• Robinhood: Mobile-first, self-directed retail brokerage with global ambitions and crypto trading — overlaps with Upstream on mobile UX and product-led growth to retail investors.
• MERJ Exchange: Parent market of Upstream and the licensed Seychelles securities exchange where Upstream operates — comparable as a licensed, multi-asset digital securities venue.
• Kraken Securities: Crypto-native exchange with growing regulated securities and tokenized-asset offerings — comparable mobile-first, global-but-US-constrained positioning relative to Upstream.

Emerging players

• Securitize: Tokenization platform enabling issuers to issue digital securities with secondary trading — overlaps with Upstream's issuer-listing and digital securities use cases.
• Bitfinex Securities: Regulated digital-asset trading venue (El Salvador and other jurisdictions) for tokenized securities — overlaps as a non-traditional securities venue targeting global investors.
• Bakkt Holdings: Digital-asset platform offering regulated trading and custody infrastructure; comparable in pursuit of regulated rails for digital securities trading.

Direct peers

• tZERO: Blockchain-powered regulated exchange and ATS for digital securities, focused on tokenized private equity and SEC-registered securities — directly comparable to Upstream's blockchain + regulated exchange model.
• INX (The INX Digital Company): Operates a regulated digital asset and security token trading platform with its own licensed exchange — a direct competitor in the regulated blockchain-securities venue space.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fan_xchange
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/global-fan-exchange

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Global Fan Exchange